Restaurants vs. eating at home

[LaraW]

Just wondering - I am new to this BB, so I apologize if this question has already been asked.

We have several friends who like to go out to eat pretty often - several times in a week. We often are invited, however, we frequently decline because we have discovered the quality of the food we can make at home seems to be as good or better than the food we get in restaurants, plus, its cheaper and better for us. Are we the only ones out there who feel this way??

[Grace]

No way!! My husband and I comment on this all the time - we far prefer to eat at home (with rare exception). And it IS better for you, and usually cheaper (although we spend a lot for groceries!). You are not alone, that's for sure!

[claire]

We tend to go out only for special occasions--birthdays, anniversary, etc. and we go typically go to more expensive restaurants which serve dishes that I might not take the time (or in some cases have the expertise) to make at home. I too feel that most restaurant food I can make better and more healthful at home. Other than not having to cook and clean-up, why pay for something I can make just as tasty at home? However, if you go out with friends, there is always the social aspect which you should take into account.

[Karenf]

I love to cook and always try new things so eating at home is interesting, better, and healthier than any restaurant. We used to go out all the time and still like to try new restaurants but since I quit working my, especially weeknight, preference is home!

[Don]

I find that it depends on what type of food that you're going out for. I almost never go out for Italian. I know that I can make it just as good at home, and most Italian food is relatively easy to make. Ethiopian, on the other hand, is definitely something to go out for. For about 2 to 3 years, we didn't have an Ethiopian restaurant in town. I love Ethiopian food so much, that twice a year we would have a large Ethiopian dinner for about 12 people. I spent literally three days in the kitchen for each meal. All of the spice pastes, butter pastes, etc. had to be made from scratch, even before beginning the task of cooking. I was so happy when a new Ethiopian restaurant opened in our area. I told all of my friends that my days making berbere sauce were over!

[Beth]

My husband and I have been the same way for years. We mostly go out for ethnic foods or other things we might not prepare at home and special events, but kids and their activities have led us to some quickies when we'd all collapse if we had to come home and start from scratch (especially if we've had a lot of pasta recently).

[BevP]

Count us in on staying at home. One of my biggest gripes is that restaurants don't try to make tasty healthy food. Can you suggest your friends come to your place for dinner occasionally instead? And don't be afraid to explain your preferences. We'll all back you up.

[lindrusso]

We don't go out to eat terribly often but...

We have kids, so for us, going out to eat is a treat because not only can it be social (if we go out with friends), but it's a chance to get away by ourselves. I don't care what kind of food they are serving (well, that's an exaggeration... http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif ) as long as I can have a peaceful conversation with my husband, a nice glass of wine and be waited on. THAT is invaluable to me even if the food is not always great. Ideally the food would be great too, but we live in a small town, so options are limited.

We don't go out all that often with the kids - it's just harder and even though they are well behaved, they get bored easily (they are 6 and 3). I must say that when we do go out with the kids I do value the chain restaurants that everyone likes to criticize. They may not have the best food, but they cater to kids and they sure beat McDonald's!!!

[Ed]

Hi,

I'm with the rest of you.

As far as Sharon and I are concerned we can put out a better meal at home than we can get in most restaurants.

We do however go out to eat on occasion, but we tend to go to better restaurants when we do, and we tend to go only for certain reasons.

1. If we're both just not in the mood, so to speak, to do any cooking; then we go because it's convenient.

2. If there is a restaurant that can make what we want better than what we can do at home, then on occasion we'll do that.

3. If it's a night out with Friends or Family, or for a function of some kind.

We would much prefer to eat at home than go out in most cases.

Ed

[iqueen]

I definitely think I can cook anything better than I can get in a restaurant given the time to plan and cook...there in lies the rub. I don't always have the time to cook and plan so we eat out at least 2-3 times per week. Every time we do when we get through I say..."I could have made something better than that and cheaper than that." I guess I need to get better at time management and planning.

[RobinC]

I shamefully admit that the DB and I eat out all too often. Before I was traveling a lot, I made a point to plan weekly menus and cook almost every night. We found that we both preferred hot fresh food at home. Once we started a business out of our home and I started traveling for the day job, we have slipped back into our dining out habit. I have been making more of an effort to cook when I am home. We both prefer it, even when I make something as "basic" as meatloaf. (which is one of my favorite comfort foods)

[Leslie w]

I really enjoy cooking for friends and family and I do feel my cooking is better than most restaurants but when we do go out I always order stuff on the menu I would not make at home. Sushi is one thing I absolutely love but don't have the patience to make at home. Often times if I see a dish I like in a restaurant I will try to get the recipe from the chef. I've had a lot of success w/ that although some (no matter how much you stroke their ego) will not give it to you.

[Nullsy]

When we go out it is mostly for the social aspect and to get away from the kids! Actually, we have 11 month old twins and have been out to eat maybe twice in the last year so you can imagine how excited I am when we do go somewhere. I really love to cook at home and it's always healthy so when we go out I usually get something fattening and if I have room dessert too!

[Jessica]

My DH travels all week for work and eating out is no longer a treat for him. We normally eat at home, and if I want a meal out I have it during the week with friends.
However, we love to socialize. If the dining out starts to get excessive, we will often suggest meeting for coffee and dessert instead. We can get the social aspect without spending too much.

[beccathebaker]

Though I always know that the food that I cook at home will taste great and be healthy, I do admit that going out can be so much fun! Especially because living near boston I have my choice of so many wonderful ethnic foods. My favorites are sushi, Vietnamese, Thai, Ethiopian, and Indian. All of these cuisines are difficult to replicate at home and the ambianced can't be beat. It's also very nice to have someone serve you and clean up afterward! After spending the day in the bakery, I am sometimes glad to have someone else do the cooking!

[MrsReber]

We go out to eat maybe once a week or once every 2 weeks. We hate going out two nights in a row because we feel like we need to detox after having a big meal out. We eat much healthier at home. I can cook some pretty good meals, but I don't do seafood so when we go out, my husband usually orders seafood. He always raves about my cooking and baking, but he likes for me to have a night off every now and then, too. We don't have kids -yet- but we both work full time. We prefer to go out on a weeknight for a quick meal and there are sveral good bar/restaurants nearby. They do offer lighter fare- salads and smaller portions of lean meats.

By the way, there was an article in the paper this weekend about how large the portions have gotten at restaurants. I know we were discussing this recently. It listed a few items from menus in restaurants and how they are way far over the federal guidelines for a serving. One place gives you 70 french fries with a meal. That is way way over the RDA. There was one restaurant that, for lunch, served a portion that included enough calories for a grown man for an entire day!

[luv2cook]

we dont' go out that much because I, too, feel I can cook better (not necessarily cheaper) at home and it will be hot and not laden with excess calories...

[BeckyM]

I'm glad to say that my husband and I don't eat out too often. I love to cook and try new recipes (primarily CL), so I prefer to eat at home. Usually when I make dinner, I'll try to make enough that we have leftovers. That way we have something healthy and quick to eat on the nights we get home late or have other things planned.

We do go out occasionally, but like many others mentioned, we try to go for the "nicer" restaurants or ethnic ones that have special foods I don't often make. We especially like Thai restaurants, and we'll go out for Italian (even though I make that at home pretty often) just because we like it so much. In fact, we went out for dinner Saturday night to celebrate our 2nd wedding anniversary (which is tomorrow!). We went to a very nice Italian restaurant which is up on a hill west of Cincinnati with a beautiful view of the city. That restaurant has special significance for us, because we had our rehearsal dinner there. So that was a special treat, and I didn't mind being waited on one bit.

One thing I have noticed as we've gotten older is that when we get together with friends for dinner, we are increasingly eating at someone's house, rather than at a restaurant. Quite a few of our friends now have small children, and it seems easier to entertain kids in a home than in a restaurant. We usually will all bring something, so it's not too much work for one person, and we have plenty of time to socialize without feeling like others are waiting for the table.

So to summarize, I prefer cooking & eating at home, unless it's a special occasion or special food. I'm just glad my husband appreciates all my cooking efforts and would rather eat my cooking than the food at many restaurants. I would feel rather hurt if he were constantly suggesting we go out! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[karenv]

I also prefer eating at home. It does save money and the food is better. The exception is that I do go out with my friends and try different ethnic restaurants or try new restaraunts for a change. For me it is a "special treat".

Karen

[Leslie w]

I'd probably eat out more often too but after I quit work to raise my kids our income almost cut in half. I just had to cut back on certain luxuries. And eating out was one of them.

[Julie A]

My husband and I don't eat out much - we feel we can get better food at home! Plus, as you said Lara, it's much cheaper and better for us.
However, there's a favorite Chinese restaurant that I can't duplicate....(I don't even want to try)

[Wendy w]

For the most part, I do prefer my own cooking at home, but sometimes I have to get out! Gail is right about needing someone else to make and cleanup after the meal.

I like ethnic restaurants that prepare dishes that I'm not up to making at home. I love Korean, Vietnamese/Chinese, Southern barbeque, Middle Eastern, Japanese, Peruvian, Mexican, and Indian - especially since I'm not allowed to play with curry at home! My boyfriend and I have an Entertainment book so will try somewhere new once in a while.

[hhcowgirl]

Gail, I'm right there with you. Here in Nashville, there has been a recent inundation of new, trendy and fun restaurants. It would be almost criminal not to at least check them out. Many of them are ethnic and serve food to which I would otherwise never be exposed if I simply stayed home all the time--so my BF and I like to go out every night on the weekends and at least once during the week.

[SusieO]

When my husband and I were married (almost seven years ago) we decided that we would eat out at least once a week, regardless of our budget. It's just a nice way to sit and talk without having to answer the phone, or wash dishes, or any of the other distractions that come with eating at home.

[LaraW]

Thanks for all of your reply's! I didn't mean to sound like I dont ever like going out - in fact I do really like to try different restaurants. We usually stick with special occasions - birthdays, anniversaries, etc., and we also tend to go to nicer restaurants where I can get my birthday creme brulee!

[bossy]

With us it seems to go in phases. For awhile we will go out once or twice a week, then there will be a long stretch when it is very seldom. It depends on my husband's schedule which changes a few times each year, the season - who really wants to go out when it is freezing outside?, and how into cooking I am at any given time http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif. Since I started getting CL a little over a year ago we have gone out far less - because there are at any given time about 2000 recipes I am dying to try!! And that probably isn't much of an exaggeration http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif.

Another thing is - I HATE getting a bad meal at a restaurant. It's a pet peeve - can't stand spending $$ for something that turns out to be horrible. Thank goodness it doesn't happen very often - it's the worst!

[Jack's mom]

My husband enjoy going out to dinner. We have a young child and I work part time so we enjoy having someone else prepare the food and clean up. Also many restaurants now have "healthy" dishes so that isn't really an issue with us.

[julia]

We prefer to eat at home as well. We also go out for sushi and as it is so expensive, we don't do it very often. We used to go out once a week for gourmet pizza at a restaurant here called Il Fornello and for dim sum on alternate Sundays - but I am off that right now. I had a very scary experience last week when my doctor told me my blood pressure was high - we got it down, but I'm still not feeling well (the reason I went to see him in the first place). Quite frankly the amount of salt that restaurants use is what has put me off eating out.

Also, whenever we cook something really great we always say "why on earth do we go out to eat" because we are both pretty good cooks.

Did anyone see the First Wives' Club - when Sara Jessica Parker was eating with that society lady and said how good the food was, "almost restaurant quality", that gave us a real laugh knowing how good homemade food can be - whether we have to cook it ourselves, or someone has a cook do it for them http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif There's absolutely no comparison between home cooked quality and restaurant quality.

I also try to have something ready from the weekend for Monday and Tuesday nights - that makes cooking dinner easier the rest of the week if it's not a chore the first two nights.

[Gail]

Oh boy. I get to disagree with all of you (again.)

We typically eat out twice a week and I'd very likely go nuts if I didn't. I don't have a "my cooking versus restaurant food" issue here, because that's not why we're going out. We go because it's relaxing, because it's a change of scenery and because it's nice to have someone else serve the food and clean it up. We don't look upon waiting for a table as an imposition, rather as a time to kick back, talk, share some wine (no, I don't have wine with EVERY meal... http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif ), interact with our ridiculous kid and maybe even enjoy a bit of entertainment and most importantly just be.

... and if the food's good on top of it, that's the whole ball of wax, isn't it?

[browneye]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Leslie w:
Sushi is one thing I absolutely love but don't have the patience to make at home.

Just FYI: I also used to shy away from sushi at home, but I came across a really cool gadget at an Asian Market, called "International Sushi Maker" and it really makes those sushi rolls easy! I now make them for my family with things like smoked salmon, crab, cucumber (easier on the kids than raw) and cooked shrimp, etc. The little book that comes with it is excellent and it is fun to do.

[eloise forever]

I have to say that I agree with Gail 100%.

My husband and I really enjoy going out to eat for a change of pace and to enjoy not having to DO anything! I do tend to be the one that wants to go out more often, which seems to be one to two times per week. This may be because for him there is almost no difference between home and a restaurant - great food appears at his table! (He does have to clean at home though.) There are some dining experiences that are TRULY far superior to my cooking (such as our dinner last Friday at Magnolia Grill in Durham NC - OH MY GOD that food was good), but for the most part we are not going out because the food is better than home. We go out because it is fun, convenient, and relaxing.


[This message has been edited by eloise forever (edited 02-12-2001).]

[SandyM]

I'm with you, Gail. Although we used to eat out a whole lot more, going back 5-6 years ago (4-5 times a week - ugh), now it's once a week, and only on the weekend at that (usually Saturday night - so our dogs aren't home alone all day and then in the evening too). For us it's time to unwind, relax after a busy Saturday doing something or other, and, as Gail said, have someone else do the cooking and cleaning.

Everything in moderation: We more often than not make wise choices when dining out, but sometimes ya just gotta have that bruschetta......... http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/biggrin.gif

[This message has been edited by SandyM (edited 02-12-2001).]